One line review: The acting is MASS but the characterization is PISS.
1. "A woman must behave like a woman." Nah. Patience, anger, self-control, haste - these are all HUMAN, not WOMANLY or MANLY.
It's maddening to see that, even 25 years later, Padayappa's advice to Neelambari on how she should behave is widely accepted as "normal." Humans (men and women) display a spectrum of emotions and actions - good and bad. What all of us must do is try to be better today than we were yesterday.
2. Rejecting a woman because she's not "woman enough." Grouping Neelambari's flaws as "manly" speaks volumes about how society lets men behave badly while restricting women.
Padayappa could've rejected Neelambari because of incompatibility issues. But no, he had to take a dig at her "lack of womanliness." Neelambari too - could've chosen better. A man who mansplains how women should be isn't a catch, or manly for that matter.
3. Projecting the perception that educated, assertive women are always domineering, entitled, and rotten inside - out to destroy lives.
From Pattikada Pattanama, to today's Aan Paavam Polladhadhu, male-written, educated, feminist, empowered female characters are always portrayed to be destructive, unempathetic, selfish, and spoiled. Padayappa reinforces the same belief on the ground, affirming existing, falsified beliefs about educated women.
4. Categorizing women like they're livestock or eggs - saathvigham, prachodayam, bayanagam.
This is very demeaning - women are humans, not cattle to be graded. I understand preferences but this classification reminds me of Nazism, where Jews in Nazi Germany were classified. The Human Rights Watch agreed that humans are not to be put in categories like that - women are humans.
5. Uneducated, submissive, village women are marriage material and better than educated, straightforward, city women.
Well, I am not saying that educated women are marriage material as well - because being preferred in the marriage market isn't a flex. However, this shows how educated women are seen as a threat. The manosphere is already working against women's education - so furthering this perception is dangerous.
6. Establishes that men's consent doesn't matter.
Men's SA isn't taken seriously in this patriarchal society. The prevailing notion is that men want sex from women anytime, anywhere. This isn't true. Men have their personal space, boundaries, and the right to consent. It's time we speak more about this and support male victims.
Conclusion
Padayappa is a fun watch. The cast's performances, music, comedy, and commercial factors all give a full-on gratifying experience. Yet, we must be able to separate what is useful and what is toxic from the movie. Art influences society - since the media serves us a buffet, it's up to us to choose the healthy, nourishing morsels, rejecting the unhelpful, harmful ones.
This is very demeaning - women are humans, not cattle to be graded. I understand preferences but this classification reminds me of Nazism, where Jews in Nazi Germany were classified. The Human Rights Watch agreed that humans are not to be put in categories like that - women are humans.
Well, I am not saying that educated women are marriage material as well - because being preferred in the marriage market isn't a flex. However, this shows how educated women are seen as a threat. The manosphere is already working against women's education - so furthering this perception is dangerous.
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